


Time After Time

by bokayjunkie



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anxiety Attacks, F/M, Now Arrow AU, Olicity Summer Sizzle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-26 20:39:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19776001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bokayjunkie/pseuds/bokayjunkie
Summary: Written for the Olicity Summer Sizzle ficathon.prompt: neighbor au





	Time After Time

**Author's Note:**

> Written in only a short couple of hours and reviewed only once. Be forwarned for mistakes!
> 
> This story took a much different tone than what I had intended it to, hope you guys still enjoy it!

Felicity never thought she’d move back to the city she grew up in.

Starling City only contained painful memories that consisted of heartbreak and loneliness. While her achievements were greatly rewarded, such as a free ride to their prestigious private school which then turned to a full ride at MIT, the life she lived here wasn’t that ideal. How could it be when her single mom struggled her butt off by working two full-time jobs just to put food on their table and a roof over their heads. Not to mention, despite her high IQ, it wasn’t exactly an invitation to make friends. In fact, every one of the rich, snobby people at Starling Prep pretty much bullied her at school. She definitely did not have a hard time saying goodbye to people in high school.

Except for Sara, the only friend she ever made in this godforsaken city. She promised herself she would never come back. Yet here she is…

Felicity flattened the box she had just emptied in her office. She wanted to get her new home office set up before tackling the other rooms in her new condo. Her priorities always lie where her work is and she cannot afford many days of leisure if she wants to get her company up and running successfully. She was about to put the scraps away when her phone rang. Picking it up she sees the picture of her best friend on the screen.

“Hey, Sara.”

“Hey, you moved in already?”

“Yeah, just unpacking the last bit of my stuff.”

“Good. Man, I’m so bummed I'm not there to help out!”

“It’s okay, that’s what movers are for.”

“I know but I wanted to be there to celebrate with you! I wanted to take you out, go dancing and drinking! You’ve never been out at these bars in Starling, it’s time you get to experience it!”

“I’m not exactly the drinking and dancing type of girl. I wasn’t one in Gotham and I definitely won't be one here.” 

“Oh come on just let loose a little bit, Felicity. It’s your first time back after 10 years, the city deserves to know what a total knock out you are! Both in looks and in your career.”

“As sweet as that sounds, again, not really my thing Sara. besides, I don’t have anything to prove to this city. I don’t really care to see anyone from high school who are now just as obnoxiously spoiled and probably under investigation for tax evasion.”

“So that’s a no on the 10-year reunion?”

Felicity responded by fake vomiting on the phone.

“Okay, okay drama queen.” Sara laughs on the other line. “Though, probably only half of those rich kids are still living here. Most of them moved away after the earthquake.”

“Wait… what earthquake?”

“You didn’t hear about it? Oh, it was a big one, Smoak. Nearly wiped out the Glades and some parts of downtown too. The entire city went mad after that and most of the upper class decided to move away. Especially since a lot of businesses went down as well.”

“I didn’t know that…” 

No wonder it was so cheap to buy an office building. Smoak Tech is growing more and more every quarter. When she decided to expand her company, it only made sense to put up the base in Starling City, which is home to major tech conglomerates that she always admired on her way to school in the heart of downtown. How come she didn’t hear anything about this earthquake deal before?

“When did this happen?”

“A couple of years ago. It was… rough.”

“Were you hurt? Was your family? How come you didn’t tell me about this?”

“You were in Tokyo overseeing that new project for Wayne Tech, it was really hard to get a hold of you then,” Sara explains. “And it was… yeah, it was just bad. Mom and I were in Central City visiting my aunt and Dinah when it happened.”

Felicity was almost afraid to ask, “Your dad and Laurel?”

“It was scary,” she lets out a shaky breath. “Dad was on the ground helping people while Laurel was stuck in CNRI. Mom and I didn’t know what was going on if they were alright.”

“But they’re okay.” she may not be close with the rest of the Lance family but she could have sworn Sara has spoken about her sister and father recently.

“Yeah they’re fine but they barely made it out alive.” she was silent for a moment. “Do you remember Oliver Queen?”

Felicity’s breath hitched at the question. How could she forget? While being in high school hadn’t been the best years of her life, there were few things about that time that was a saving grace. One of them is Oliver Queen.

By all standards, she really shouldn’t give a damn about him. It’s not like they were friends or anything. They didn’t hang out in the same circles and the entire school never did understand why they even interacted at all. But their social differences never deterred him away from acknowledging her. He was always saying hi to her in the hallways, complimenting her and even celebrating her intelligence. Most of all, he was always genuinely nice to her. With all of these qualities, not to mention he’s not bad in the looks department either, it wasn’t hard for Felicity to be smitten by him.

But it was one defining moment just a few days before her 18th birthday when Felicity was struggling with the anticipation of her college applications. She had been going through a really bad anxiety attack in the back of the school library. It was Oliver who found her and sat down with her. It was his presence that made her feel safe. He didn’t pressure her into talking until she was ready and when she needed a calm, grounding presence, he was there. He seemed to have understood her inner struggle and without having to exchange many words, was there for in a way no one had ever been successful before.

It was on that day that Felicity realized she had more than an infatuation on Oliver Queen. She was in love with him. 

“He was in the Glades that day.” Sara continues, bringing Felicity back to the present. “He and his best friend Tommy Merlyn?”

“Hmm… uh yeah, I remember them.”

“They were on their way to CNRI to save Laurel…”

A chill ran past her as the memory comes back to her. There’s one of the reasons why she never looked back after leaving Starling City. It’s painful to realize you’ve fallen in love with someone only to know they will never love you back. Oliver had been in this established relationship with Laurel in high school. They were the sweetheart couple everyone envied. It appears that never changed.

“... And he died, Felicity.”

Huh?

“Wait, what?”

“It was so tragic, Laurel was practically inconsolable after that.” she went on, not noticing Felicity’s sudden silence. “I don’t blame her, she lost the love of her life. She turned to the bottle and then the pills, and then finally we manage to convince her to go to rehab. After she got better, she moved to Central City, she couldn’t stand to be there with all the memories of… him, you know?”

“Yeah…” Felicity was at a loss for words.

Oliver’s dead? How come she just found out about this now? How is this possible? There’s a large pit in her stomach at the thought that… he’s gone.

She didn’t expect she’d be affected this much, she hasn’t seen this man since high school. Besides, it wasn’t like they were close. And despite her feelings for him, they were never together. Still… he held such a special memory in her heart. 

There was always a part of her, a very small, vulnerable part, that thought they might get a chance at some point in life. Not back then, no, the timing wasn’t right and being in a relationship with Oliver Queen is not an ideal lifestyle she’d wanted back then. But in the future, where they’re more grown-up and the timing was right. It was a fantasy she indulged in every now and then.

Of course, she had thought about him in the past ten years. It’s something special, to have fond memories of your first love. Even though they were never together, she still considers him as much. Now that she’s grown more comfortable in her skin and has gotten a semi control over her anxiety, she thinks she can handle being with a guy like Oliver.

But she can’t. Because he’s dead.

Holy crap he’s dead!

The reality sinks in and… he’s dead! A real person she knows from high school that she had a major crush on is DEAD!

Felicity feels as if she’s about to have a panic attack. How can he be dead? He’s the same age as her, and he’s dead. Is that even possible?

Oliver’s dead. The man she knew who had a kind heart that cares so much about the people he loves is dead. Why did he have to die? Why him? If there’s anyone in this world who deserves to live a long, happy life surrounded by people who love him it’s Oliver. Did he ever get to achieve what he wanted in life? Did he finally break free from his father’s shadow and realize he’s amazing on his own?

Did he find love?

Of course, he did he died saving Laurel. Oh god, he died because he saved the love of his life from an earthquake that nearly wiped away an entire neighborhood in the city she is LIVING IN. 

Her breathing starts to become shallow as this reality starts to sink in. Oliver’s dead. Starling City went through an earthquake. She is now living in Starling City again and she’s having a panic attack.

Oh right, this is a panic attack now. It’s been a while since she had one of these, three years to be exact. She doesn’t get easily triggered anymore - thank you therapy - so it’s not something she’s used to.

Crap, she’s having a panic attack. How did she get through this again?

“Felicity? Are you okay?” Sara calls through the phone, snapping Felicity back to the conversation.

“Ye-... yeah,” she says shakily.

“Felicity…?” her voice was laced with concern and Felicity knew she had to nip this quickly.

“I have to go,” she says hastily.

“But-”

Whatever Sara had to say, Felicity didn’t hear as it was drowned by the sound of someone knocking on her door.

“Someone’s at the door. Bye, Sara.” she didn’t even wait for her to reply back. 

Felicity hung up the phone and rushed out of the room. Her heart is pounding against her chest as her breathing starts to become hard. She needed to get out of that room. She needs a distraction. She can’t continue to think about Oliver being dead. Every time she did, she gets even more panicked.

There was another knock on the door and working on autopilot, Felicity opens it, intending to greet whoever it was but stops. The person on the other side of the door is the last person she’d ever thought she would see.

“Felicity?”

“Oliver?”

Eyes wide, Felicity stares at him. He’s here. He’s dead but he’s here. What is he doing here? How is he here? He’s dead.

Oliver’s dead.

Oliver’s dead but he’s here.

Oliver’s dead but he’s standing directly in front of her.

Oliver’s dead.

He’s here.

What the actual fuck.?!

Not able to control it any longer, Felicity immediately drops to the floor as she starts to heave.

“Hey, are you okay?”

She couldn’t speak. Her lungs felt like they were on fire, in the meantime, her chest feels like it’s about to burst. How did she ever handle these before?

Felicity managed to prop herself against the wall, she barely registers Oliver kneeling down in front of her.

“You’re having another panic attack,” Oliver states, more so to himself as he assesses her.

“Felicity, look at me,” he says, capturing her attention as he grabs a hold of her hands. “Look at me and follow me as I take in deep breaths. Just listen to my voice while and follow everything I do, okay? Just look and listen, you hear me?”

It took a moment before the words process in her head. The fact that Oliver is in front of her, calming her down from a panic attack as he did in high school, is surreal, but he’s exactly the grounding force she needs. So she nods and he looks relieved.

“Okay, inhale, 1, 2, 3, 4. Now hold it for 7,” he instructs and she does as he says. “Now exhale, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Good, good, now let’s do it again.”

They repeated the ritual a couple more times until her breathing calms down. The breathing exercise helped, but it was him more than anything that brought her back from her haze. She watches as he takes her in, inspecting to make sure she’s okay.

How is this possible? She just got off the phone with Sara who had told her he died. How is he here?

“You good?” he asks once he finally looks back at her questioning gaze.

“You’re dead.”

“What?”

Felicity immediately closes her eyes at her stupidity. “I mean...I thought you were dead.”

He was silent and the thoughts whirl in her head as her eyes are closed. For a woman with an IQ of 170, she can be an actual idiot. How is that any better?

She opens her eyes, expecting to see Oliver’s bewildered look only met with his warm, kind eyes looking at her in concern but also in amusement. There was nothing in his look that said he was disgusted or annoyed with her. He never does. That’s why she fell in love with him.

And judging by the fluttering in her stomach that has replaced the pit of despair from earlier, those feelings are still there. 

“I’m okay,” he says softly. Then he takes her hand and places it on his chest, feeling the beating of his heart beneath her palms. “See. still here.” he looks at her as he spoke, his eyes conveying so many emotions and it’s taking her breath away.

“I need water.” she needs to not be so close to him. Her mind is still foggy from the whirlwind of emotions and she’s still shaking off the last of her panic attack. Being so close to him is intoxicating, making her mind a jumbled mess. She needs to get it together.

As she tries to stand up, Oliver beats her to it by getting on his feet first and offering a hand. Once on her feet, Felicity immediately makes a beeline to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from her fridge. She hears Oliver closing her front door before following behind her. Looking over at him, she notices him taking in the room. She’s glad she got the majority of the open space of her living room, kitchen and dining room sorted first. And by that, all the boxes are stacked and clustered nicely in their designated spaces.

“So you’re back,” he comments in such a casual manner as if he hadn’t just brought her back from a panic attack. “I never thought I’d see you back in this city. After you went to MIT then your mom moved to Vegas… I didn’t think there was anything else back here for you to come home to.”

“I didn’t think I’d have a reason to be back either,” she says in a low, raspy voice. “This place was always the haven of the tech world, I wanted my company to thrive here.”

“Your company?”

“Smoak Tech.”

The look of astonishment and pride on his face surprised her, but also made her feel warm and tingly inside. The effect he has on her has seemed to come back in full force.

“That’s amazing.” and she can tell by the sincerity in his voice that he truly means it. “I always knew you would do great things.”

A blush forms on her face. “Thank you.”

“How does it feel being back? The same as you remember?”

“Kind of the same… kind of different. Weird being back here without my mom.”

“She’s still in Vegas?”

Felicity nods. “I think she likes it far better over there.”

“At least you’re back,” he comments. “I never thought you would be, but I’m glad.”

“You are?”

“Yeah, it was always my regret that I didn’t get to talk to you before you left. You didn’t even come to graduation. You were valedictorian.”

“I wanted to get a head start at getting settled in the East Coast.”

“I figured. Still bummed, I thought maybe…”

She watched as he struggled to finish the sentence only to shake his head and look away. “Maybe what?”

“Nothing. It was a silly thought,” he says. “So have you talked to Sara yet? She still lives here, you know.”

“Uh… yeah, we still talk. I actually just got off the phone with her. She’s the one who told me that-” Felicity stops herself as she realizes she’s where this anecdote is going.

“Felicity?” Oliver calls out when she froze. “What did Sara tell you?”

“She uh… she told me about the earthquake and how you and Tommy went to save Laurel at CNRI and that you…” she inhales sharply, feeling the heat increase. “That you died.”

Oliver raises hir brows. “She told you that?”

Felicity pauses, taking in the question. “Yes… at least I think she did. To be honest with you all I heard was earthquake, Oliver and dead.” she looks at him sheepishly.

He takes in her explanation and nods. “Well… not dead.”

She lets out a long breath. “Yeah, I see that.”

“It was Tommy who died.”

“Oh… Oliver.”

He smiles at her sadly. “I tried to hold him back even though I knew Laurel was still inside. It was too dangerous. But Tommy wouldn’t listen and ran int he building anyway. A minute later, Laurel came out and the building collapsed. No Tommy.”

Felicity’s heart shattered as he recounts the story. All she wants is to reach out and give this man the same comfort and safety he gave her earlier. 

“I am so sorry.”

“It’s gotten better, talking about it,” he says. “It happened five years ago, I’ve had a lot of time to heal and realize that I want to honor my best friend’s memory by going after what I want. I continued to live because I know that’s what he’d want for me. So I did.”

“That’s amazing, Oliver.”

“Thank you.”

Felicity didn’t know what kind of guardian angel was there to help him move forward after such a tragedy, but she’s glad Oliver has healed well. When Sara spoke of Laurel’s downfall after the loss of her love, she’d expect Oliver to have the same kind of reaction as well. 

Then that thought comes back to her. “Wait, I thought Sara had said… Laurel was heartbroken after… that’s why I thought she meant you because you and Laurel were together.”

“Laurel and I weren’t together, we haven’t been for a long time.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, we broke things off just before graduation. ”

“Oh… I didn’t know that.”

“You had other things on your mind back then.”

Felicity nodded, remembering just how much of a hurry she was back then to leave this city.

“Laurel and Tommy got together when they were in college and we all realized they were the more suited couple. They had just gotten engaged when the earthquake happened.”

“That must have really been rough. No wonder Laurel was so distraught.”

“Yeah.” he nods. “She’s better now, I think. She’s working with her cousin Dinah in Central City.”

“Yeah, I heard. Good for her.”

There was a pregnant pause between the tow. Things are starting to make sense now, how Oliver is still alive and why he’s here. Wait… no, she doesn’t know why he’s here. Why is he here?

“So, um… how did you know I was here?”

“Oh,” Oliver looks at her, surprised at the question. “I didn’t. I came here to give this back to you.” he holds out a hard drive that was supposed to be in one of the boxes in her office.

“Oh my god, thank you. Where did you find it?”

“Outside my door. Found it when I came back home, then saw some boxes outside and figured this unit was finally occupied.”

“Wait, your door?”

“Yeah, I live across from you. I’m your neighbor.”

Felicity is surprised once again. “We’re neighbors.”

“Yeah, small world isn’t it.”

“Oh wow, I didn’t think this would actually happen.” 

This is all too much information to process in one evening. How is she not panicking again? Maybe she’s gotten better at this, or maybe it’s Oliver’s presence. Either way, it didn’t trigger another attack. That’s surely a good sign. And maybe, just maybe, she can have a normal conversation with Oliver.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. I just… can’t believe we’re neighbors.”

“Yeah, me too.” he flashes her a soft smile and damns if it didn’t melt her heart a little bit. “So, Felicity Smoak, I’d like to formally welcome you to the building.”

“Thank you, Oliver. I think I’m gonna like it here.”

“I think you will too,” he says, his smile turning into a grin. “So, Felicity, now that your back in town, maybe we can catch up sometime?”

“Sure, how about now?”

He looks at her in surprise. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I've almost finished the office anyway, I didn’t plan on doing any more after that. Plus, I’m hungry and want some take out, I’m not opposed to sharing.”

The smile on his face was completely blinding. “That sounds like a good plan, it’s a date.”

Now it was her turn to look surprised. “A date?”

“You’re damn right. We’ve waited too long to do this, don’t you think Felicity?”

She smiles, matching his expression. “I agree. It’s a date.”

“Good.”

They stood, looking at each other for a moment with matching dopey grins. This is really happening. They are going on a date. In her living room, after finding out he died but not really. What kind of sitcom is her life?

“Okay, so since you’re the local here, why don’t you order something and I’ll go finish unloading my last box in the office,” she instructs.

“Alright, I'll meet up with you in a minute.”

As Felicity turns to head back to the direction of her office, Oliver calls out to her.

“Hey, Felicity.”

“Yeah?” she stops, looking back at him. 

“I’m glad you’re back.”

“Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this. Kudos and comments are always welcome!
> 
> If you want to say hi, or give me a prompt, come to my twitter: [bokayjunkie](https://twitter.com/bokayjunkie)


End file.
